3 Current-Day Duels (of the Social-Media Variety)

By Valeriya Safronova

Jan. 7, 2017

These days duels are fought not with pistols at dawn but with tweets and Instagram posts 24/7. The rules of engagement are hazy. And unlike in the days of Hamilton and Burr, it is difficult in the digital age to determine which participant has come out ahead.

Here are three recent spats, incited by questions of honor, character or matters of the heart.

Casus belli Soulja Boy posted a series of heart-eyed emoji on an Instagram photo of Mr. Brown’s former girlfriend Karrueche Tran, an actress. On Jan. 2, Soulja Boy, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, told his social-media followers that Mr. Brown had threatened to fight him over the flirtatious post.

Escalation When Ms. Tran called the drama between the rappers “ridiculous,” Mr. Brown flew off the handle, responding in all-caps that Ms. Tran’s accomplishments were owed to him and that he had slept with her friends.

ResolutionSoulja Boy announced — and Mr. Brown confirmed — that the two are taking the fight to a boxing ring in March. The boxer Floyd Mayweather will serve as trainer, and the bout will air on a pay-per-view channel, which makes one wonder if the whole thing is a stunt.

Graydon Carter, the Vanity Fair editor, and Donald J. Trump traded insults in print and on Twitter.CreditFrom left: Emily Berl for The New York Times; Hilary Swift for The New York Times

Donald J. Trump vs. Graydon Carter

Casus belli The feud between the president-elect and the editor of Vanity Fair began in 1988, when Spy magazine, the satirical monthly edited by Mr. Carter and Kurt Andersen, first referred to Mr. Trump as a “short-fingered vulgarian.”

Best line In his November 2016 editor’s letter, Mr. Carter said he had once invited Mr. Trump to a White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as a “novelty guest” — someone who is at a party for the entertainment of others, without being in on the joke.

Resolution Both men were present at an off-the-record meeting at Condé Nast headquarters, at 1 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, on Friday. Politico reported “no fireworks” at the gathering, and the two antagonists declined to discuss it immediately afterward.

Casus belli On Dec. 17, a group of messages were leaked on Blac Chyna’s Instagram page in which she complained about Mr. Kardashian, who is her fiancé and “Rob & Chyna” co-star. To wit: “He’s lazy Fat Insecure.”

Escalation Mr. Kardashian posted a series of heartbroken Snapchats in which he said Blac Chyna, whose real name is Angela White, had left their home and taken their newborn child, Dream, with her. Blac Chyna responded on Instagram: “I’M DONE! This entire year I have done nothing but help Rob!”

Resolution After Mr. Kardashian publicly apologized, the two reality TV stars were reportedly back together again.